


learning about you bit by bit (a sticker the shape of your smile)

by jeolmeoniji



Category: NCT (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Cute, First Meetings, Fluff, M/M, awkward but cute flirting?, donghyuck loves stickers, hyuck and jeno both likes detective conan, hyuck needs his laptop fixed yeah that's the plot, jeno is an IT guy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-27
Updated: 2020-09-27
Packaged: 2021-03-07 18:41:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,660
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26682355
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jeolmeoniji/pseuds/jeolmeoniji
Summary: When Donghyuck's laptop threatens to break in half to the point that he’s used his Rilakkuma washi tape to kinda make it still in one piece, and that the keyOhas been half-dead for a year, making it difficult each time he typeslol, Donghyuck thinks that maybe now he needs help and has to take his computer to the laptop doctor. Apparently, they call it an IT guy, as Renjun has told him after a really Renjun-esque roll of the eyes.
Relationships: Lee Donghyuck | Haechan/Lee Jeno
Comments: 16
Kudos: 148





	learning about you bit by bit (a sticker the shape of your smile)

**Author's Note:**

> why are my titles always so weird

Donghyuck isn’t a computer person. He isn’t a technology person, really. Maybe in another life he would be an ardent player of all these online games that Johnny likes to play in the dead of the night, but this isn’t this life. In this life, the only reason he has a laptop is to watch videos on Youtube, binge-watch the chinese dramas that Renjun talks about on Netflix, and have somewhere to take his class notes.

Another cool thing about his laptop is that it’s another surface where he can paste his thousand stickers and personalize it to make the dull grey color a bit more pleasing looking. You won’t catch Lee Donghyuck choosing the basic life. If you can put a sticker on something, then don’t be shy and do it. (Mark would complain that statement because he’s never asked to have a My Little Pony sticker from Donghyuck’s new purchase right on his android phone case, but he’s also never bothered to remove it, and anyway, he’s been happy when Donghyuck had offered him a sticker of Detective Conan right after.)

Donghyuck isn’t a technology person, most of all not a computer hardware person, so when his laptop threatens to break in half between the screen and the keyboard, to the point that he’s used his Rilakkuma washi tape to kinda make it still in one piece, and that the key _O_ has been half-dead for a year, making it difficult each time he types _lol_ , Donghyuck thinks that maybe now he needs help and has to take his computer to the laptop doctor. Apparently, they call it an IT guy, as Renjun has told him after a really Renjun-esque roll of the eyes.

He’s lucky that the campus owns, at the far corner of the science buildings, an IT service that won’t cost Donghyuck half his lifetime - spending money on colorful cute stationeries is a lifestyle, but Donghyuck is unfortunately less thrilled to spend a lot on the electronic devices in his life, as much as he knows he needs them.

He doesn’t want to spend weeks on this problem though, so he decides to go to campus early to drop his laptop off for repair, and use regular paper and pen (violet ink thank you very much) for his classes while he’s laptopless.

With his homemade laptop case in hands, he walks to the IT center after a lethargic bus ride. When he arrives and pushes the door, he notices how bland the interior is, and well, he didn’t expect something else. It’s just the whole hardware aesthetic, he guesses. Behind the counter, there are two tables full of computer stuff that Donghyuck isn’t even able to name, and for a second he’s fascinated that there’s this whole world of knowledge he really has no idea of, while for other people it is their everyday life, easy like they breathe it. The room is white and clean and Donghyuck tiptoes to the empty entry desk, putting his laptop on it, looking around if someone is there. He coughs, a bit awkward.

That’s when someone comes out of the back door that Donghyuck has not noticed, and he straightens a little bit, ruffling his bangs out of his eyes.

Donghyuck has to say that the IT guy on duty that morning is cute - large glasses on a slim face and smooth looking black hair. Donghyuck notices a mole under his right eye, and it’s really soft.

He almost feels bad for himself that he’s so dumb with hardware stuff because he’ll look so incompetent in front of the IT guy. But also, maybe he has seen worse, or is used to it. Donghyuck slightly frowns at his own thoughts; it’s not the right moment to want to look cool and impressive, he has to be professional.

“Good morning, what can I help you with?” the guy quickly goes to the front to take care of him with a kind smile that makes his eyes disappear.

His voice is deeper than he was expecting, steady; he looks at Donghyuck then drops his stare on the laptop between them. Donghyuck’s hands are clumsy when he opens the case to show the state of his laptop while trying to explain what’s wrong with it.

The stickers sparkles back at the IT guy’s soft eyes - _Donghyuck, it’s not time for shitty comparisons_. Donghyuck is really proud of his choices of stickers, and that’s when he remembers the big bi flag next to some of the funny and borderline salacious stickers he’s got from Ten who helps run the LGBTQ+ association on campus. If he thinks the IT guy has a faint blush at the top of his cheeks, he doesn’t comment on it.

“So you see, the two parts of my laptop are about to snap and I had to limit damages with tape for now, and also this key is half dead,” Donghyuck points at each defective part of his beaten up laptop that he still likes very much despite everything he says.

The guy lifts his hands and delicately takes the laptop from Donghyuck’s grip and inspect his colorful tape work with attention. Rilakkuma’s eye smile kinda matches the expression he had when he’s greeted Donghyuck.

“Other than that, the laptop runs well?”

“I mean, yes. I don’t use it for fancy things except the Internet and the word processor, so I don’t really see how it can become rusty or something.”

The IT guy hums and inspects the keyboard.

“Ok, it’s nothing that bad, but I’ll have to disassemble the whole laptop to repair it, so it’ll take quite some time unfortunately,” he pouts ( _pouts!!!_ Donghyuck’s brain supplies).

“How long?” Donghyuck asks.

“You’ll be able to get it back tonight, is that okay for you?”

Donghyuck sighs in relief, as he thought it would suddenly take days. “It’s fine by me, I can manage for a day without it.”

The IT guy ( _ask for his name, Donghyuck_ ) shows his signature eye smile - granted, Donghyuck knows him for a few minutes only but it’s quite a striking feature.

“Perfect, I’ll need a few information so I can take care of everything.”

He puts the laptop back on the desk and focuses on the center computer, clicking noises resonating between him and Donghyuck.

“Ok, what’s your name and student ID number?”

Donghyuck replies to each question, feeling like he’s in an unbalanced speed date with a cute guy that doesn’t reciprocate any of the basic questions to get to know each other. He knows he’s overreacting because the guy is here to do his job and Donghyuck is imagining a drama inside his head. Sue him for appreciating a cute face in the early morning before classes.

“We’ll be calling you probably early evening once it’s done. If you have any question and want to call, ask for Jeno - it’s me - as I am the one who will work on it.”

As Jeno ( _Jeno!!!_ ) says it, he takes a post-it and scribbles the number of the IT center on it before giving it to Donghyuck.

“I think we’re all set,” Jeno smiles again, gentle.

Donghyuck nods, a bit dazed, until he realizes something.

“Won’t you need my password though?” Donghyuck asks.

It takes Jeno by surprise, and Donghyuck can see his cute expression when his eyes slightly widen behind his cute big glasses and his mouth opens in an _O_ reminding him of the key _O_ of his defective keyboard.

“Ah, you’re right, I forgot that.”

He scurries to get another post-it and a pen and holds it out for Donghyuck, who takes it to write his password down.

That’s when he realizes with horror that his password is, in fact, ridiculous. He’s had it for so long that it has lost its meaning in the everyday task of putting it in each time he turns his laptop on, but now the letters are on the paper and he wants to blush of embarrassment.

He tries to play it cool and gives back the paper to Jeno, who reads it with a blank face at first, but Donghyuck is certain he hides a snort in a fake cough while he turns to stick the post-it on the laptop. Donghyuck kinda wants to die; he didn’t need the cute IT guy to know that his password is _imtheb@biestdevilx0x0_ , a password too long, too ridiculous, that his thirteen year old self found kind of cool ( _cursed early 2010s_ ), and that his hands were so used to make that he’s kept it for a lot of his accounts. He tries to stay positive with the fact that at least no one can easily hack his socials (why would they, though) and he’s always gratified with a “really strong password” comment when he signs up on new websites because there is letters, numbers _and_ special characters in this password, so who’s winning, hm?

_Not Donghyuck because he’s lost all credibility in front of cute IT guy, dammit._

Donghyuck coughs.

“So I can get my laptop back tonight, right?”

“Yup! We’ll call you once it’s ready.”

Donghyuck is relieved that Jeno doesn’t comment on the dumb password, and it alleviates his mind a bit. Jeno takes his laptop in his hands, stroking absentmindedly with his thumb one of the Detective Conan stickers. Donghyuck wonders if he likes Detective Conan, but he doesn’t ask and instead gets his laptop case back and puts it in his bag. It’s time to leave competent people to their job and for him to go to class.

“See you later,” Jeno says politely, and Donghyuck flashes him a smile before exiting the IT center.

Donghyuck’s day actually goes on without much things worth mentioning; his classes are like the usual, and he wonders once or twice if he’s left some web pages opened before closing his laptop - he doesn’t want another embarrassing moment if Jeno tells him that he’s seen what he looks up on the internet. There’s nothing to be ashamed of, really, but at the same time he doesn’t want Jeno to know him only as the guy who has a silly password and a strange addiction to 2000s magical girl cartoons.

Donghyuck thinks that the IT team has probably seen worse things they didn’t want to know existed in the first place. He’s heard stories about laptops infected with viruses because of suspicious porn websites, so they must like him when his problem isn’t so traumatizing in comparison.

When he’s out of his last class of the day, it is 5pm and the center hasn’t called him yet. He does the maths quickly and figures out he can stay at the library for a bit while waiting for Jeno to call him so he can go retrieve his laptop. The sky is dangerously grey, and he doesn’t want to use the public transports to go back to his flat to only go back to campus later anyway. It shouldn’t take a long time anymore.

And so Donghyuck goes to the library and uses a computer there to do some readings due, because he can at least afford to be studious. He’s actually so immersed that it’s only around an hour later that he checks his phone again, suddenly scared he’s missed the IT call: however, he’s got no notification of it.

Donghyuck frowns and begins to feel a bit of anxiety swirling in his growing restlessness.

Why is it taking so long? Did they forget about his laptop? Is it his phone that doesn’t work? But if he goes to the center and it’s not done yet, he’ll look like an impatient moron. But also if he doesn’t go and then it closes, he won’t have his laptop and would have stayed late on campus for nothing. Or maybe he just needs to wait a little bit more?

He shakes his head and takes a breath. There’s no reason to be upset. Jeno told him “early evening” and maybe they don’t have the same time range for this. Donghyuck is in no rush whatsoever, even if he can’t wait for his bed and a drama while slurping on noodles. He’s not the one slaving on his laptop at least.

He decides to switch the library with a coffee shop on campus he likes.

And he waits, between a webtoon and a few sips of a cinnamon latte. Then he waits some more. And a bit more again.

He thinks it becomes ridiculous when the other students leave the coffee shop one after the other, because it’ll close soon and there’s other places to be when dinner time is near than on the empty and cold campus. It has begun pouring outside and Donghyuck does have his jacket but he hates that this falls on him, too, literally. And that goddamn call from the cute IT guy that _doesn’t_ come!

He finally decides to call the IT center himself.

“Seoul campus’ IT center, what can I do for you?”

Donghyuck recognizes Jeno’s voice, and he doesn’t know if he’s relieved because at least it means he’s still alive and it’s not because he’s been rushed to the hospital that he hasn’t contacted Donghyuck yet (... yeah Donghyuck has an inventive slash borderline imagination), or if he’s a bit annoyed at Jeno’s cheerful voice when Donghyuck is having anxiety over his goddamn laptop that he has no idea what has happened to.

“Hi, I’ve left my laptop at the center this morning, and I wanted to know if I could come to get it back before the center closes tonight?”

“Can I have your name, please?”

“Donghyuck, Lee Donghyuck,” he answers.

His leg is bouncing a bit. He really has no idea if he’s annoyed or not. He doesn’t want to be.

“Oh, hm, yes,” Jeno murmurs once Donghyuck assumes he’s found his client file on his computer, “hm, we’ve managed to repair the keyboard, but there was a problem with the motherboard -”

Donghyuck listens to Jeno ramble about hardware stuff he doesn’t understand one bit, but Jeno seems to be adamant with his explanation, talking slightly faster, as if he was a bit stressed because of Donghyuck.

“... ok,” Donghyuck says when Jeno stops talking. “So that means I won’t get my laptop back tonight?”

“I-I’m sorry it takes longer than expected,” Jeno stutters.

Donghyuck wants to be mad, but he tries to rationalize his annoyance. It’s not Jeno’s fault that his motherboard or whatever has decided to be dramatic and needs extra care (wow, looks like a metaphor for Donghyuck’s whole being). Jeno is doing his job and Donghyuck could have gone back to his flat already instead of staying on campus, and would have avoided wasting his time for nothing.

But Jeno could have called him to explain the situation, perhaps.

“So when will I be able to get it back?” Donghyuck sighs, swallowing an upset comment.

“Maybe in two days max, but I’m not sure yet. The center will call you once it’s done, though.”

Donghyuck wants to be sarcastic - _the center hasn’t called today when the plan changed though_ \- but Jeno doesn’t deserve his shitty mood. It’s just the rain, he thinks; he’s never done well when the weather is bad.

“I see. Well, thank you for keeping me updated.”

It is already dark outside, the rain hasn’t stopped one bit, he’s waited hours for nothing, and he probably will have to wait long for his bus to go back to his flat. It doesn’t cheer him up one bit.

He’s about to say goodbye and hang up when Jeno’s voice rushes:

“Wait, won’t you need a laptop to work for your uni assignments?”

Donghyuck hums, “well, I thought I’d use the library’s computer in the meantime, I don’t really have another choice.”

“The IT center lends some laptops to students when needed. You can come by the center right now and I’ll get one ready for you, since your own still needs some repairing.”

He says that in one breath, as if he’s scared Donghyuck would cut him in the middle of his speech.

“Oh. Hm, that would be nice, actually,” he replies, a bit taken aback. “I’ll be there soon then, I’m still on campus.”

“Noted, Donghyuck. I’m sorry for the inconvenience again.”

“Don’t worry about it.”

When he hangs up, he bids goodbye to the coffee shop employees, takes his bag, and finally goes outside to reach the IT center. It’s a bit cold and he tightens his jacket around his shoulder, but he finally arrives in one piece to the right building, where the only lights on are the rooms on the ground floor.

He shivers when he enters the IT center, glad it’s warmer inside, and directly finds Jeno at his work table.

  
  


<*>

  
  


Donghyuck is cute, and it’s the only adjective that Jeno can actually think of when he looks at him. Donghyuck is cute, with pretty shimmery eyeshadow on his eyelid, a dust of pink blush on his cheeks, a dash of highlighter at the tip of his button nose and to accentuate his cupid bow. (Jeno knows a little bit about make up even if he doesn’t use it himself, and he thanks his roommate Jaemin for it, who likes to create impressive looks with an overwhelming number of palettes.)

Donghyuck is cute and pretty with his wavy locks that sometimes get into his eyes. And Jeno feels shy and like nothing much with his bare face, black hair and oversized glasses on the tip of his own nose, when he’s in front of Donghyuck.

He knows he shouldn’t like, care. He knows nothing much about Donghyuck - only knows his name since he’s given it for his laptop. Donghyuck is a student who needs his laptop repaired and Jeno is the IT guy who will do the job needed.

But still, wow, Donghyuck is _cute_.

Jeno has seen numerous laptops handed to him, but it’s not often that he’s not being handed a slick and soulless Mac. Donghyuck shows him his laptop out of a colorful protection case that looks like he’s sewn it himself, and the laptop is full of stickers, some of them from the LGBTQ+ association that Jeno likes to see around but actually doesn’t do much with because his IT job takes a lot of his time already.

Donghyuck is cute up to the Detective Conan stickers decorating his laptop, and Jeno loves Detective Conan.

He doesn't really ask anything, though. Donghyuck gives him his number but it’s for the laptop so he can call him once it’s repaired, Donghyuck’s fingers brush against his owns but it’s because he’s giving him a pen to write down his password. Donghyuck’s password is so ridiculous it is cute too, and bit by bit Jeno catches a part of Donghyuck’s character through all the details given to him.

Jeno is diligent in his work and when he spends his day at the IT center, taking care of Donghyuck’s laptop between the other requests from students regarding wifi or viruses, he thinks everything is fine until he finds another problem on Donghyuck’s laptop that wasn’t supposed to be here. It’s not like he can’t take care of it, but it takes more time and he won’t manage the deadline he’s promised Donghyuck and it stresses him but he still wants to do well and oh let’s try to work on it to the best of his capacities to maybe still make it for the evening and not bother Donghyuck more?

It ends up not being the case, as when Jeno picks up the center’s phone, it is Donghyuck’s slightly strained voice that greets him, and when he looks at the time he realizes why.

Jeno doesn’t want Donghyuck to be mad at him, though. He doesn’t know him a lot but he hates making others feel upset. And in his panic he rambles about technical stuff that Donghyuck probably has no interest in whatsoever, and finally Jeno pathetically discloses that his laptop won’t be repaired completely before two more days.

Donghyuck doesn’t pour his disappointment to Jeno, contrary to what he’s used to from some people who feel so dedicated to anything and everything. 

It makes Jeno a bit more grateful, a bit more softer, to know that Donghyuck doesn’t lash out on people when the situation is a bit more complicated than supposed to.

And now Donghyuck is in front of him again.

“Hi,” Jeno stands up quickly, still a bit uneasy that he’s bothered Donghyuck more than necessary.

Donghyuck smiles a bit at him. He looks like he’s cold, and Jeno remembers that it’s actually raining right now. He doesn’t look forward to going back to his dorm in this weather.

“Hey.”

“I want to apologize again for the delay,” Jeno twists his hands in front of him, and Donghyuck looks at it before directing his stare back on Jeno’s face.

“I don’t seem to have a lot of luck with technology, but it’s maybe a payback because I don’t have much interest in it,” he comments, tries to laugh a little. “It’s not your fault, Jeno, I don’t mind that much. I was a bit worried because the center didn’t contact me to tell me about it, that’s all.”

Jeno wants to blush because Donghyuck remembers his name, but then he feels like a rock hits the bottom of his stomach because Donghyuck has been stressing over his silence; Jeno knows communication is supposed to be key.

“I should have called you, it’s not really professional of me.”

“Well, give me a spare laptop right now and I won’t hold grudges, promise,” Donghyuck chuckles.

And so Jeno does it. He hands the university laptop to Donghyuck, gives him a post-it with the password on it (a really original 123456), and enters the lended laptop’s information in the center computer to keep track of it.

When it’s all done, Jeno can’t help but think that Donghyuck with a bare grey laptop in his arms seems a bit off. It doesn’t match with his joyful personality, doesn’t match with what he’s been picking up about him throughout the day. It’s a bit dull, and he’s worried because Donghyuck seems a bit off, tired, and the darkness and cold of the outside that can be sensed through the high windows don’t help.

“Will you put a few stickers on this laptop?” Jeno suddenly blurts, so Donghyuck looks at him, so Donghyuck doesn’t leave so soon, so maybe Donghyuck will cheer up a bit if Jeno talks about something he seems to like a lot.

Donghyuck seems surprised, but it lits his face up, and Jeno’s breath hitches a bit.

“Am I actually allowed to? It’s not my own.”

“I’ve seen written nowhere that it’s forbidden, so you might be able to do as you want. A sticker or two won’t hurt the programming of the machine, am I right?” he smiles.

Donghyuck chuckles, and that soothes Jeno.

“Do you like stickers too?” Donghyuck asks after a few beats.

“I mean, I don’t buy any, but I like to look at them, like on your laptop. It’s kinda cool.”

Jeno wants to say _you’re cool_ , if not _you’re cute_ , or _you’re pretty_.

“Well, thanks. I use stickers a lot, so maybe I’ll spare a few on this uni laptop to bring some life to it.”

“Please do.”

Jeno wonders if Donghyuck would bring some life to him too if he offered him a sticker, like he was in elementary school and his crush would give him a precious candy. He shakes his head to not be too flustered at the thought of Donghyuck spending more time with him.

The time clock ticks in the room, and Jeno notices that it’s time to close down the center. He’s done a full shift and only now realizes he’s kind of tired.

Donghyuck sways on his heels and looks at the window with a pout, but doesn’t leave yet even if he got the replacement laptop.

“You’re about to close up, right?” Donghyuck asks with a soft voice.

“That’s right.”

“Can I- Would it bother you if I stay inside until you’ve finished what you need to do? My bus to go back to my flat isn’t coming before some time and it’s cold outside,” he mumbles, a bit embarrassed.

“Oh, of course it’s no problem! It would be bad if you catch something, waiting for long in this weather. Please have a seat,” Jeno rushes.

He points at the chair at his work table, and Donghyuck thanks him profusely.

“Now I’ll just take care of some stuff and we’ll leave together.”

He takes about a dozen of minutes to tidy up what needs to be, while Donghyuck is on his phone. The silence isn’t tense; it’s a bit relaxed, the kind of calm that comes after a long day and you’re tired and simply enjoy the quietness.

When they leave the building after Jeno locked up, they are greeted by the rain, and Jeno opens his umbrella. Donghyuck looks at him but quickly diverts his eyes and doesn’t say anything. Jeno thinks he doesn’t want to let Donghyuck brave this bad weather alone, moreover with the lack of umbrella by his side. He simply says:

“Where is your bus stop? I’ll walk you there.”

Donghyuck gasps and if there was a bit more light, Jeno would be able to appreciate the blush on his cheeks. Jeno wonders why Donghyuck looks a bit shy when he should be the one to feel like it, able to spend a bit more time with someone as cute as Donghyuck.

They walk in the emptied campus under Jeno’s umbrella, and in this rainy evening they chat to forget the cold. Jeno comments on the Detective Conan stickers adorning Donghyuck’s laptop and Donghyuck’s face illuminates.

They share bits of their major and life on campus, of their friends and their work, and when Donghyuck softly says that they’ve arrived to his bus stop, Jeno finds himself being sad that their conversation ends there.

“My bus will be here in like, two minutes,” Donghyuck says.

“Okay, I hope you go back safely, then.”

“Thank you for walking with me, you didn’t have to.”

“Don’t worry about that,” Jeno sways on his heels, a bit shy, but happy.

Donghyuck looks through his bag and Jeno thinks he’s looking for his bus card, taking it as a sign for him to leave.

“I’ll see you in a few days at the IT center I guess.”

He’s about to wave goodbye when Donghyuck retrieves something from his bag and quickly shoves something in Jeno’s hand that isn’t holding the umbrella.

“Here, to thank you,” Donghyuck says, and this time Jeno sees the dust of red on his cheeks. (He loves it.)

Jeno looks at what’s inside his hand; a sticker of Conan stylized as a chibi, the size of his thumb. It is cute and he wasn’t expecting this and when he stares back at Donghyuck his heart flutters even more.

“Put it on your own laptop, if you want,” Donghyuck smiles.

“It’s cute, I will,” Jeno nods a bit dumbly, not able to find other words to actually express the feeling that he’s nursing right now.

Donghyuck’s smile is bigger, his eyes twinkle, and then the sound of the bus halting takes his attention.

“I’ll go now.”

“Bye bye, Donghyuck.”

“Bye bye, Jeno!”

Donghyuck quickly gets on the bus, and when it leaves, Jeno looks at the windows and sees Donghyuck sitting down and waving at him. Jeno waves back enthusiastically.

He clutches the little sticker in his hand against his pounding heart.

He looks forward to seeing Donghyuck and his bubbly demeanour soon.

  
  
  


(He doesn’t know yet, but Donghyuck looks forward to seeing him, with his cute big glasses falling down his nose and his caring side, too.)

**Author's Note:**

> i wrote this on my brother's laptop because my own laptop is indeed being repaired at the IT center rn :] projection am i right :]
> 
> i'm so happy i got to write nohyuck!! i hope you liked it, in this cold weather i needed something sweet, take care of yourself <3
> 
> ((donghyuck's password courtesy of @/sweet_yukkuri lol))
> 
> [my twitter](https://twitter.com/_renjunbaobei) \+ [cc](https://curiouscat.me/jeolmeoniji)


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